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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · suit · bulb · deal · present · ball · spell · stock

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. present — a gift
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ball — a great time
  6. suit — clothes
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bulb — for light
  9. suit — in cards
  10. present — the time now
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. spell — letters
  13. suit — to fit
  14. spell — magic
  15. present — there
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. stock — goods
  18. bulb — for light
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. stock — shares
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. spell — a short time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com